Mechanism for facilitating remote access of user and device credentials for remoting device activities between computing devices

ABSTRACT

A mechanism is described for facilitating remote access of device and user credentials for at computing devices according to one embodiment of the invention. A method of embodiments of the invention includes remotely accessing, by a first computing device, credentials of a second computing device. The credentials may facilitate the first computing device to perform one or more tasks. The method may further include performing, at the first computing device, the one or more tasks based on the accessed credentials and according to capabilities of the first computing device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is a U.S. National Phase Application under 35U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/US2011/054387, filedSep. 30, 2011, entitled MECHANISM FOR FACILITATING REMOTE ACCESS OF USERAND DEVICE CREDENTIALS FOR REMOTING DEVICE ACTIVITIES BETWEEN COMPUTINGDEVICES.

FIELD

The field relates generally to computing devices and, more particularly,to employing a mechanism for facilitating remote access of user anddevice credentials for remoting device activities between computingdevices.

BACKGROUND

With the rise in the use of mobile computing devices (e.g., smartphones,etc.), it is becoming increasingly important to the user to be able touse a mobile device freely and for longer periods of time without havingto continuously burden or rely on the mobile device's own components(e.g., battery, antenna, etc.). Certain conventional techniques providefor connecting multiple devices (such as connecting a cellular phonewith a hands-free device installed in a car, etc.) through a Bluetoothconnection. Although these conventional techniques facilitate thehands-free device to relay certain communication (e.g., the user'svoice, etc.) on behalf of the cellular phone, they, nevertheless, leavethe essential cellular activity burden (e.g., cellular radio activity,cellular antenna activity, such as needing to penetrate through the carmetal and water bags (e.g., human beings), etc.) on the cellular phone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of exampleand not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanyingdrawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and inwhich:

FIG. 1 illustrates a computing device employing a remote accessmechanism for facilitating remote access of user and device credentialsat computing devices according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a remote access mechanism employed at a computingdevice according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrate a remote access mechanism facilitating remote accessof user and device credentials at computing devices according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a method for facilitating remote access of user anddevice credentials using a remote access mechanism according to oneembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a computing system according to one embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention provide a mechanism for facilitating remoteaccess of device and user credentials at computing devices according toone embodiment of the invention. A method of embodiments of theinvention includes remotely accessing, by a first computing device,credentials of a second computing device. The credentials may facilitatethe first computing device to perform one or more tasks. The method mayfurther include performing, at the first computing device, the one ormore tasks based on the accessed credentials and according tocapabilities of the first computing device.

Furthermore, a system or apparatus of embodiments of the invention mayprovide the mechanism for facilitating remote access of device and usercredentials and facilitate the aforementioned processes and othermethods and processes described throughout the document. For example, inone embodiment, an apparatus of the embodiments of the invention mayinclude a first logic to perform the aforementioned remotely accessingcredentials, a second logic to perform the aforementioned performing ofthe one or more tasks, and the like, such as other or the same set oflogic to perform other processes and/or methods described in thisdocument.

In one embodiment, a first computing device remotely access credentialsof a second computing device to, for example, use the second computingdevice to perform one or more functions at the second computing devicefor any number of reasons, such as the one or more functions are notavailable at the first computing device, to reduce the use of the firstcomputing device to save its battery life, achieve more efficiency orbetter signal by, for example, having the second computing device useits better antenna, save money by needing and having only one plan(e.g., data plan, phone plan) for both computing devices, and the like.In one embodiment, with remote credentials, the second computing devicemay be used to perform any number of functions based on its capabilities(e.g., phone capabilities, data capabilities, etc.) and the limitationsof the remote credentials. It is to be noted that this process ofremotely lending and/or borrowing of credentials at two or morecomputing device is sometimes referred to as “remoting” throughout thisdocument.

For example, the first computing device may be a tablet computer havingaccess to data but no phone capability, while the second computingdevice may be a dumb cellular phone having phone access but no datacapability. In one embodiment, the tablet may borrow credentials fromthe dumb cellular phone to perform data activities (e.g., accessing theInternet) which the cellular phone is incapable of doing. In this case,one advantage is that the Internet data does not have to pass throughthe dumb cellular phone and that can prevent the running down of thecellular phone's battery while the table is accessing the Internet.

Considering another example, a car includes a full-capacity cellular carphone (“car phone”), but having a personal cellular phone (“userphone”), the user may not want to spend money on having a particularplan (e.g., a data plan, a phone/voice plan, etc.) on both the car phoneand the user phone. A data plan may include access to the Internet,email, etc., while a phone/voice may include access to phone calls,texting, etc. A phone/voice plan may be provided by a base phone/dataservice provider (e.g., AT&T®, Verizon®, etc.) or a third-partyplan/application (e.g., Skype®, Tango®, etc.), or the like. In thiscase, for example and in one embodiment, when in the car and the userphone within a predefined range (e.g., 4 feet) of the car phone, the carphone may borrow the necessary and/or relevant credentials of and fromthe user phone to allow the user access to data (e.g., accessing theInternet, checking email, etc.) and/or phone (e.g., placing/receivingphone calls, sending/receiving texts, etc.) using the car phone;consequently, for the time the user is within the predefined range usingthe car phone, the battery load and the use of the user phone issignificantly reduced.

FIG. 1 illustrates a computing device employing a remote accessmechanism for facilitating remote access of user and device credentialsat computing devices according to one embodiment of the invention. Inone embodiment, a computing device 100 is illustrated as having a remoteaccess mechanism 108 to facilitate remote access of user and devicecredentials at and between multiple computing devices. Computing device100 may include mobile computing devices, such as cellular phonesincluding dumb cellular phones, smartphones (e.g., iPhone®, BlackBerry®,etc.), handheld computing devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs),etc., tablet computers (e.g., iPad®, Samsung® Galaxy Tab®, etc.), laptopcomputers (e.g., notebooks, netbooks, etc.), e-readers (e.g., Kindle®,Nook®, etc.), etc. Computing device 100 may further include set-topboxes (e.g., Internet-based cable television set-top boxes, etc.), andlarger computing devices, such as desktop computers, server computers,etc.

Computing device 100 includes an operating system 106 serving as aninterface between any hardware or physical resources of the computerdevice 100 and a user. Computing device 100 further includes one or moreprocessors 102, memory devices 104, network devices, drivers, or thelike, as well as input/output sources, such as touchscreens, touchpanels, touch pads, virtual or regular keyboards, virtual or regularmice, etc. It is to be noted that terms like “machine”, “device”,“computing device”, “computer”, “computing system”, and the like, areused interchangeably and synonymously throughout this document.

FIG. 2 illustrates a remote access mechanism employed at a computingdevice according to one embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment,the remote access mechanism 108 includes various components 202-212 tofacilitate remote access to user and device credentials at or betweenmultiple computing devices (e.g., mobile computing devices, such ascellular phones, smartphones, etc.). In the illustrated embodiment, theremote access mechanism 108 provides a device detection module 202 todetect a corresponding computing device available for credentialsharing. The detected computing device may then be authenticated orverified using a device authentication module 204 of the remote accessmechanism 108.

Once the detected computing device is identified and verified, acredentials access module 206 may contact, ping or solicit the detectedcomputing device for device and/or user credentials (e.g., the detectedcomputing device's identification, wireless credentials (e.g., access todata plan, data plan details, wireless service provider, etc.),telephone credentials (e.g., voice service provider, access to voiceplan, plan details, etc.), third-party credentials (e.g., Skype, Tango,etc.), user profile (e.g., owner/user profile, associated user profiles(e.g., profiles of family members, friends, etc.), nature of the plan(e.g., family plan, individual plan, etc.)), etc.). In one embodiment,accessing or sharing the credentials leads the detected computing deviceto essentially borrow the other computing device, such as to have theother computing device perform one or more functions that may not bepresent at the detected computing device, or may be present but not used(e.g., to save battery at the detected computing device, access a biggerscreen at the other computing device, etc.). This will be furtherdescribed with reference to FIG. 3. In one embodiment, using acredentials authentication module 208, some of the relevant credentials(e.g., user profile, etc.) may be verified and/or authenticated. Anycommunication of credentials, messages, data, etc. may be performedusing a communication module 210, while any displaying of such or otherinformation may be done using user interfaces provided at the twodevices. Further, a communication link between the two computing devicesmay be maintained in order for the remoting of the credentials to remainactive and that the borrowed credentials not invalidated.

It is contemplated that any number and type of components may be addedto and removed from the remote access mechanism 108 to facilitate theworkings and operability of the remote access mechanism 108. Forbrevity, clarity, ease of understanding and to focus on the remoteaccess mechanism 108, many of the default or known components of amobile computing device are not shown or discussed here.

FIG. 3 illustrates a remote access mechanism facilitating remote accessof user and device credentials at computing devices according to oneembodiment of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the cellularphone technology is used as an example for brevity, clarity, simplicity,and ease of understanding. It is contemplated that embodiments of theinvention are not limited to the illustrated cellular phone technologyor the way the credentials or services are used here and that theembodiments are compatible and workable with any range of technologies,including dumb cellular phones, smartphones, PDAs, handheld computingdevices, tablet computers, e-readers, notebooks, netbooks, servers,personal computers (PCs), set-top boxes, etc.

In one embodiment and for example, a user 306 (e.g., a driver, apassenger, etc.) wishes to use a second computing device 304 (e.g., usercellular phone) in an automobile 312 (e.g., car) by sharing itscredentials with a first computing device 302 (e.g., car cellular phone)that is installed in a car 312 (e.g., installed at the dashboard 314 ofthe user's car 312). In the illustrated embodiment, both the first andsecond computing devices 302, 304 employ the remote access mechanism108.

For example, as the user 306 enters the car 312 with the user cellularphone 304 and wishes to use one or more features or functionalities ofthe car cellular phone 302, such as to use a particular feature (e.g.,data capability, phone capability, etc.) of the car phone 302 becausethat feature may not be available at the user phone 304 or even if thefeature is available at the user phone 304, the user may neverthelesswish to use it through the car phone 302 to save battery at the userphone 304 or receive better reception at the car phone 302 (e.g., thecar phone can access the external car antenna), or the like. Forexample, the car phone 302 may be a full smart cellular phone (e.g.,having phone and data capabilities) and although the user phone 304 mayalso have the same or similar capabilities, the user phone 304credentials (e.g., including its data plan and relevant information) areprovided to the car phone 302 so that the user 306 may, for example,access the Internet on the car phone 302 because, for example, the carphone 302 has a bigger display screen or to converse battery live at theuser phone 304, etc. Further, in this case, remoting the user phonecredentials to the car phone 302 may mean not having to worry abouthaving the user phone 304 to penetrate through a great deal ofshielding, such car material (e.g., metal, plastic, glass, etc.), bagsof water (the term refers human beings, such as the user 306 andpossibly other passengers in the car), other things in, on, or aroundthe user phone 306 in the car 312, because the car phone 302 may accessthe external car antenna 316 which the user phone 304 may not.

In one embodiment, the car phone 302 detects the user phone 304 as soonas the user phone 304 is within a particular predefined range (e.g., arange that is user-defined or user-determined, such as 5 feet, etc., oran automatic range, such as the Bluetooth range) of the car phone 302.Once the user phone 302 has been detected, the car phone 302 thenverifies the user phone 304, such as compare the basic information ofthe user phone 304 (e.g., serial number, assigned name, user name, etc.)against the information that is on file and accessible to the car phone302. If the user phone 302 is not verified, it is rejected by the carphone 302; however, in case of the user 306 or the user phone 304 new,the user 306 is given the opportunity to register self and the userphone 304 with the car phone 302 for future authentication. Thisauthentication process can be removed or turned off by the user. Oncethe two phones 302, 304 are within a predefined range, the car phone 302may automatically solicit credentials from the user phone 304. Once thecredentials are made accessible to and/or received at the car phone 302,the credentials may be securely authenticated.

As aforementioned, once the user phone credentials become accessible tothe car phone 302, the car phone 302 may be used to perform a number ofactivities based on its capabilities and limitations and the user phonecredentials. For example, the car phone 302 may be used for telephonecalls using the base phone plan or a third party application (e.g.,Skype, etc.) as provided through the user phone credentials andsupported by the car phone capabilities. A communication link betweenthe two computing devices may be maintained in order for the remoting ofthe credentials to remain active and that the borrowed credentials arenot invalidated.

It is contemplated that embodiments of the present invention are notlimited to cellular phones or cars that are referenced here merely asexamples and that they are compatible with any number and type ofcomputing devices (other than the cellular phones 302, 304) and/orlocations (other than the car 312), such as buildings, sport stadiums,etc. For example, the user 306 may be an individual in a basement of abuilding (as opposed to being in the car 312) wanting to use his tabletcomputer (as opposed to the user phone 304) through adesktop/server/laptop computer (as opposed to the car phone 302) that isplaced in the building to reach a better reception through an antennainstalled on the exterior of the building (as opposed to the car antenna316 installed on the exterior of the car 312).

FIG. 4 illustrates a method for facilitating remote access of user anddevice credentials at computing devices using a remote access mechanismaccording to one embodiment of the invention. Method 400 may beperformed by processing logic that may comprise hardware (e.g.,circuitry, dedicated logic, programmable logic, etc.), software (such asinstructions run on a processing device), or a combination thereof. Inone embodiment, method 400 may be performed by the remote accessmechanism of FIG. 1.

Method 400 starts at block 405 with a first computing device (e.g., acar-installed cellular phone) to detecting a second computing device(e.g., a user cellular phone). In one embodiment, the second computingdevice may be automatically detected when the two computing devices arewithin a predefined range (e.g., any user-defined range, an automaticrange, such as the Bluetooth signal range) of each other. At block 410,the first computing device to authenticate the detected second computingdevice. At block 415, the first computing device accesses the secondcomputing device's credentials. In one embodiment, the second computingdevice credentials may be transmitted on to the first computing devicewhere they are received and accessed. At block 420, in one embodiment,the second computing device credentials are authenticated by the firstcomputing device. At block 425, in one embodiment, by lending orremoting its credentials to the first computing device, the firstcomputing device may be used to perform one or more functions on behalfof and using the credentials of the second computing device. Acommunication link between the two computing devices may be maintainedin order for the remoting of the credentials to remain active and thatthe borrowed credentials are not invalidated.

FIG. 5 illustrates a computing system 500 employing and facilitating aremote access mechanism according to one embodiment of the invention.The exemplary computing system 500 may be the same as or similar to thecomputing system 100 of FIG. 1 may include personal computer, cellularphone, tablet computers, set-top boxes, gaming console, portable gamingdevice, etc. The computer system 500 includes a bus or othercommunication means 501 for communicating information, and a processingmeans such as a microprocessor 502 coupled with the bus 501 forprocessing information. The computer system 500 may be augmented with agraphics processor 503 for rendering graphics through parallel pipelinesand may be incorporated into one or more central processor(s) 502 orprovided as one or more separate processors.

The computer system 500 further includes a main memory 504, such as arandom access memory (RAM) or other dynamic data storage device, coupledto the bus 501 for storing information and instructions to be executedby the processor 502. The main memory also may be used for storingtemporary variables or other intermediate information during executionof instructions by the processor. The computer system 500 may alsoinclude a nonvolatile memory 506, such as a read only memory (ROM) orother static data storage device coupled to the bus 501 for storingstatic information and instructions for the processor.

A mass memory 507 such as a magnetic disk, optical disc, or solid statearray and its corresponding drive may also be coupled to the bus 501 ofthe computer system 500 for storing information and instructions. Thecomputer system 500 can also be coupled via the bus to a display deviceor monitor 521, such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or Organic LightEmitting Diode (OLED) array, for displaying information to a user. Forexample, graphical and textual indications of installation status,operations status and other information may be presented to the user onthe display device 521, in addition to the various views and userinteractions discussed above.

Typically, user input devices 522, such as a keyboard with alphanumeric,function and other keys, may be coupled to the bus 501 for communicatinginformation and command selections to the processor 502. Additional userinput devices 522 may include a cursor control input device such as amouse, a trackball, a trackpad, or cursor direction keys can be coupledto the bus for communicating direction information and commandselections to the processor 502 and to control cursor movement on thedisplay 521.

Camera and microphone arrays 523 are coupled to the bus 501 to observegestures, record audio and video and to receive visual and audiocommands as mentioned above.

Communications interfaces 525 are also coupled to the bus 501. Thecommunication interfaces may include a modem, a network interface card,or other well-known interface devices, such as those used for couplingto Ethernet, token ring, or other types of physical wired or wirelessattachments for purposes of providing a communication link to support alocal or wide area network (LAN or WAN), for example. In this manner,the computer system 500 may also be coupled to a number of peripheraldevices, other clients, or control surfaces or consoles, or servers viaa conventional network infrastructure, including an Intranet or theInternet, for example.

It is to be appreciated that a lesser or more equipped system than theexample described above may be preferred for certain implementations.Therefore, configuration of the computing system 500 may vary fromimplementation to implementation depending upon numerous factors, suchas price constraints, performance requirements, technologicalimprovements, or other circumstances.

Embodiments may be implemented as any or a combination of: one or moremicrochips or integrated circuits interconnected using a parent-board,hardwired logic, software stored by a memory device and executed by amicroprocessor, firmware, an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), and/or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The term “logic”may include, by way of example, software or hardware and/or combinationsof software and hardware, such as firmware.

Embodiments may be provided, for example, as a computer program productwhich may include one or more machine-readable media, such as anon-transitory machine-readable medium, having stored thereonmachine-executable instructions that, when executed by one or moremachines such as a computer, such as computing system 500, network ofcomputers, or other electronic devices, may result in the one or moremachines carrying out operations in accordance with embodiments of thepresent invention. A machine-readable medium may include, but is notlimited to, floppy diskettes, optical disks, Compact Disc-Read OnlyMemories (CD-ROMs), and magneto-optical disks, Read-Only Memories(ROMs), Random-Access Memories (RAMs), Erasable Programmable Read-OnlyMemories (EPROMs), EEPROMs Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-OnlyMemories (EEPROMs), magnetic or optical cards, flash memory, or othertype of media/machine-readable medium suitable for storingmachine-executable instructions.

Moreover, embodiments may be downloaded as a computer program product,wherein the program may be transferred from a remote computer (e.g., aserver) to a requesting computer (e.g., a client) by way of one or moredata signals embodied in and/or modulated by a carrier wave or otherpropagation medium via a communication link (e.g., a modem and/ornetwork connection). Accordingly, as used herein, a machine-readablemedium may, but is not required to, comprise such a carrier wave.

References to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “example embodiment”,“various embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment(s) of theinvention so described may include particular features, structures, orcharacteristics, but not every embodiment necessarily includes theparticular features, structures, or characteristics. Further, someembodiments may have some, all, or none of the features described forother embodiments.

In the following description and claims, the term “coupled” along withits derivatives, may be used. “Coupled” is used to indicate that two ormore elements co-operate or interact with each other, but they may ormay not have intervening physical or electrical components between them.

As used in the claims, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinaladjectives “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., to describe a commonelement, merely indicate that different instances of like elements arebeing referred to, and are not intended to imply that the elements sodescribed must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, inranking, or in any other manner.

The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments.Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of thedescribed elements may well be combined into a single functionalelement. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiplefunctional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added toanother embodiment. For example, orders of processes described hereinmay be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein.Moreover, the actions any flow diagram need not be implemented in theorder shown; nor do all of the acts necessarily need to be performed.Also, those acts that are not dependent on other acts may be performedin parallel with the other acts. The scope of embodiments is by no meanslimited by these specific examples. Numerous variations, whetherexplicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences instructure, dimension, and use of material, are possible. The scope ofembodiments is at least as broad as given by the following claims.

The techniques shown in the figures can be implemented using code anddata stored and executed on one or more electronic devices (e.g., an endstation, a network element). Such electronic devices store andcommunicate (internally and/or with other electronic devices over anetwork) code and data using computer-readable media, such asnon-transitory computer-readable storage media (e.g., magnetic disks;optical disks; random access memory; read only memory; flash memorydevices; phase-change memory) and transitory computer-readabletransmission media (e.g., electrical, optical, acoustical or other formof propagated signals—such as carrier waves, infrared signals, digitalsignals). In addition, such electronic devices typically include a setof one or more processors coupled to one or more other components, suchas one or more storage devices (non-transitory machine-readable storagemedia), user input/output devices (e.g., a keyboard, a touchscreen,and/or a display), and network connections. The coupling of the set ofprocessors and other components is typically through one or more bussesand bridges (also termed as bus controllers). Thus, the storage deviceof a given electronic device typically stores code and/or data forexecution on the set of one or more processors of that electronicdevice. Of course, one or more parts of an embodiment of the inventionmay be implemented using different combinations of software, firmware,and/or hardware.

In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described withreference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however,be evident that various modifications and changes may be made theretowithout departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims. The Specification and drawings are,accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictivesense.

I claim:
 1. A computer-implemented method comprising: detecting, by afirst computing device, a second computing device having credentialscapable of facilitating one or more tasks, wherein the first computingdevice lacks the credentials and is incapable of performing the one ormore tasks, wherein the first computing device is incapable due tolacking one or more features or being un-favoured due to one or morepreferences to perform the one or more tasks; remotely accessing, by thefirst computing device, the credentials at the second computing devicesuch that accessing the credentials to turn the first computing deviceinto temporarily gaining capacity to be capable of performing the one ormore tasks based on the credentials of the second computing device; andperforming, by the first computing device, the one or more tasks basedon the credentials at the second computing device without the firstcomputing device having to employ the credentials or permanently gainthe capacity, wherein the credentials include one or more ofcommunication credentials, user preferences, one or more voice plans,and one or more data plans, and wherein the one or more tasks includevoice calling, over a communication medium, based on the one or morephone plans at the second computing device, accessing data, over one thecommunication medium, based on the one or more data plans at the secondcomputing device, wherein performing further includes facilitating thesecond computing device to perform the one or more tasks on behalf ofthe first computing device without the first computing device having toemploy the credentials or permanently gain the capacity.
 2. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:automatically triggering the remote access of the credentials when thefirst and second computing devices are within a pre-determined range ofeach other; and authenticating the credentials at the second computingdevice before allowing the first computing device to access thecredentials.
 3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein thecredentials comprise a permission to perform the one or more tasks,wherein the credentials further comprise one or more of user profiles,service provider profiles, and security details, wherein thecommunication credentials include at least one of the one or more voiceplans and the one or more data plans for offering phone services anddata services, respectively, wherein the communication medium comprisesone or more communication networks including one or more of a proximitynetwork, a cloud network, an intranet, and the Internet, wherein thephone services include at least one of conventional phone services orVoice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
 4. The computer-implemented methodof claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the first computing device,the credentials including the communication credentials from the secondcomputing device.
 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, whereinthe first and second computing devices comprise mobile computing devicesincluding one or more of smartphones, dumb cellular phones, personaldigital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, e-readers, tabletcomputers, notebooks, netbooks, desktop computers, and set-top boxes,wherein the first computing device is employed at an automobile, thefirst computing device comprising a car phone, and wherein the secondcomputing device comprises a cellular phone including a smartphone or adumb cellular phone.
 6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,wherein the one or more features or the one or more preferences includeat least one of one or more of battery life, signal strength, networkstrength or bandwidth, antenna strength or locations, service providerlimitation, system limitation, security protocol, phone plan type ordeficiencies, data plan type or deficiencies, and user preferences.
 7. Anon-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions that,when executed by a processing device of a first computing device, causethe processing device to: detect a second computing device havingcredentials capable of facilitating one or more tasks, wherein the firstcomputing device lacks the credentials and is incapable of performingthe one or more tasks, wherein the first computing device is incapabledue to lacking one or more features or being un-favoured due to one ormore preferences to perform the one or more tasks; remotely access thecredentials at the second computing device such that accessing thecredentials to turn the first computing device into temporarily gainingcapacity to be capable of performing the one or more tasks based on thecredentials of the second computing device; and perform the one or moretasks based on the credentials at the second computing device withoutthe first computing device having to employ the credentials orpermanently gain the capacity, wherein the credentials include one ormore of communication credentials, user preferences, one or more voiceplans, and one or more data plans, and wherein the one or more tasksinclude voice calling, over a communication medium, based on the one ormore phone plans at the second computing device, accessing data, overone the communication medium, based on the one or more data plans at thesecond computing device, wherein performing further includesfacilitating the second computing device to perform the one or moretasks on behalf of the first computing device without the firstcomputing device having to employ the credentials or permanently gainthe capacity.
 8. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7,wherein the processing device is further to: automatically trigger theremote access of the credentials when the first and second computingdevices are within a pre-determined range of each other; andauthenticate the credentials at the second computing device beforeallowing the first computing device to access the credentials.
 9. Thenon-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein thecredential comprise a permission to perform the one or more tasks,wherein the credentials further comprise one or more of user profiles,service provider profiles, and security details, wherein thecommunication credentials include at least one of the one or more voiceplans and the one or more data plans for offering phone services anddata services, respectively, wherein the communication medium comprisesone or more communication networks including one or more of a proximitynetwork, a cloud network, an intranet, and the Internet, wherein thephone services include at least one of conventional phone services orVoice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
 10. The non-transitorymachine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the processing device isfurther to receive the credentials including the communicationcredentials from the second computing device.
 11. The non-transitorymachine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the first and secondcomputing devices comprise mobile computing devices including one ormore of smartphones, dumb cellular phones, personal digital assistants(PDAs), handheld computers, e-readers, tablet computers, notebooks,netbooks, desktop computers, and set-top boxes, wherein the firstcomputing device is employed at an automobile, the first computingdevice comprising a car phone, and wherein the second computing devicecomprises a cellular phone including a smartphone or a dumb cellularphone.
 12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7,wherein the one or more features or the one or more preferences includeat least one of one or more of battery life, signal strength, networkstrength or bandwidth, antenna strength or locations, service providerlimitation, system limitation, security protocol, phone plan type ordeficiencies, data plan type or deficiencies, and user preferences. 13.An apparatus comprising: a first computing device comprising: devicedetection module to detect a second computing device having credentialscapable of facilitating one or more tasks, wherein the first computingdevice lacks the credentials and is incapable of performing the one ormore tasks, wherein the first computing device is incapable due tolacking one or more features or being un-favoured due to one or morepreferences to perform the one or more tasks; credentials access moduleto remotely access the credentials at the second computing device suchthat accessing the credentials to turn the first computing device intotemporarily gaining capacity to be capable of performing the one or moretasks based on the credentials of the second computing device; and oneor more components to perform the one or more tasks based on thecredentials, wherein the credentials include one or more ofcommunication credentials, user preferences, one or more voice plans,and one or more data plans, and wherein the one or more tasks includevoice calling, over a communication medium, based on the one or morephone plans at the second computing device, accessing data, over one thecommunication medium, based on the one or more data plans at the secondcomputing device, wherein performing further includes facilitating thesecond computing device to perform the one or more tasks on behalf ofthe first computing device without the first computing device having toemploy the credentials or permanently gain the capacity.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 13, wherein the credentials access module is furtherto: automatically trigger the remote access of the credentials when thefirst and second computing devices are within a pre-determined range ofeach other; and authenticate the credentials at the second computingdevice before allowing the first computing device to access thecredentials.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the credentialscomprise a permission to perform the one or more tasks, wherein thecredentials further comprise one or more of user profiles, serviceprovider profiles, and security details, wherein the communicationcredentials include at least one of the one or more voice plans and theone or more data plans for offering phone services and data services,respectively, wherein the communication medium comprises one or morecommunication networks including one or more of a proximity network, acloud network, an intranet, and the Internet, wherein the phone servicesinclude at least one of conventional phone services or Voice overInternet Protocol (VoIP).
 16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein thecredentials access module is further to receive, at the first computingdevice, the credentials including the communication credentials from thesecond computing device.
 17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein thefirst and second computing devices comprise mobile computing devicesincluding one or more of smartphones, dumb cellular phones, personaldigital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, e-readers, tabletcomputers, notebooks, netbooks, desktop computers, and set-top boxes,wherein the first computing device is employed at an automobile, thefirst computing device comprising a car phone, and wherein the secondcomputing device comprises a cellular phone including a smartphone or adumb cellular phone.
 18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one ormore features or the one or more preferences include at least one of oneor more of battery life, signal strength, network strength or bandwidth,antenna strength or locations, service provider limitation, systemlimitation, security protocol, phone plan type or deficiencies, dataplan type or deficiencies, and user preferences.